Method of acoustic measurement



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ons 2 'l SUPFKLY .ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 22, 1944 Unirse sur es parametrica y `METHOD F ACOUSTIC yMIHJASIIIREMEN T Norman R. Stryker, Maplewood, N. Si., assigner to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application roxy 25, 1942, serien No. 452.2

s claims. (cl. rs1-os)- This invention relates to a method for making acoustic determinations, particularly those in which the results of procedures heretofore in use are rendered untrustworthy by reason of the existence of standing sound waves. As applied,-

receiving a great amount of 4attention in acoustic laboratories, is that of eliminating or reducing the effect of the resulting interference patterns. While many methods of accomplishing this .end

Moreover, for absorption studies the absolute strength of the generated sound pulse need not4 be known, since the acoustic quantityto be measured is determined from the ratio oi two simultaneous or successive measurements different distances from the sound source. Therefore, a fourth have been tried, namely, rotation of source or microphone or both, ,warbling the frequency. rotating vanes, etc., the only approach to a satisfactory solution has been the 'use of highly absorbent materials on the room surfaces. This treatment is always expensive and in many cases impracticable to apply. The net result is unreliable data and failure among different laboratories toobtain comparable results from similar' tests.

Experimental work has shown that if a very short sound pulse is generated in lan enclosure,

-and

' 6700 cycles per second.

vobject fof the invention may be stated, namely,

to provide a'method of measuring acoustic absorption which does not require knowledge of the intensity of the sound source. o

The invention will be understood from the following description read with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows schematically the arrangement of the required apparatus in an enclosure to be studied; -f

Fig. 2 shows curves exhibiting relative'measure'd energy densities as a function of distance I from the sound source in a room of low absorption for continuous sound of frequency 440' cycles l A per second and for scund` pulses of that nomi` nal frequency of 3 milliseconds duration compared with the theoretical curve for a continuous 440-cycle .signal neglecting standing waves;

o Fig. 3 shows curves similar to those of Fig. 2 for the same room but for sound of frequency Referring to Fig. 1,- in'room R, oscillator l, supplied from power supply 2, is tuned to generate currents of a desired frequency'which are -amplifled b y amplifier 3 and converted into sound waves by loud-speaker 4, preferably directly conthe energy density thereby created at any point in the enclosure may be measured by conventional sound level meters with results closely in agree` ment with theoretical predictions .based on the assumption of a steady state conditionand the absence oi standing waves. It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a method of acoustic measurement in which the effect of standing waves is eliminated. The method is applicable to the calibration of acoustic inlstruments, such as loud-speakers and microphones, to vthe determination of the absorption versus frequency characteristics of rooms. to the investigation of acoustic materials, and to other uses which will'readily'occur to those skilled in the art.

Since the method to be described does not require the careful acoustic treatment heretofore considered necessary for the walls of the meas; uring room, another object of the invention is to render such treatment unnecessary. Further, since by the proposed technique, the time required for an acoustic survey is reduced from hours to minutes, economy of time is a third object of the invention.

nected to pipe`5, of a diameter small enough in comparison with the emitted acoustic wave-length tobe considered a point source of sound. Itl is sometimes convenient, though unnecessary, to terminate pipe 5 in baille B as indicated by dotted lines inFig. 1. Continuous sound waves are emitted from orice' 'l of pipe 5 and these waves may be made single or successive sound pulses by the operation of interrupter 8 which may. of

course, be arranged to permit the'emission of sound pulses-of any desiredduration. AThe sound pulse emitted from orice 'l is received by microphone 9 with which is suitably associated sound level meter i0. Two positions are shown for microphone 9 and meter i0 corresponding to distances r1 and ra, respectively, from sound source 1, as will be later explained.

TheA choice of particular apparatus elements may be left to the user but loud-speaker 4 is suit' ably a Western Electric 555-W receiver, while microphone 9 and associated meter I0 may be of the vapparatus group known as the Western Electric RA-281 sound level meter. For interrupter Ill-any design may be used which is capable of closing the circuit from theoscillator to the amplifler for .a time interval of from 2 to 5 milliseconds or longer if desired.

Figs. 2 and 3,y selected from a mass of similar data, shows.theapplicability of the lmethod to measure the average absorption coeiilcient of a ing waves. ured relative energy densities for continuous emismilliseconds.

reverberant room. In each figure curve I represents the relative energy density versus distance from sound source predicted from theory for continuous sound emission in disregard of stand- Curve shows how the actual meassion diiler conspicuously from theoretical curve I by reason of the standing waves. Curve 3, nearly coincident with curve I, exhibits the relative energy densities at various distances from lthe source of sound produced by pulses lasting 3 For the sake of; legibility, curves similar to curve 3 but for other pulse durations are omitted. Such curves have shown a closer and closer approach to coincidence with curve I astle pulse duration is decreased.

It is, of course, desirable that the indications of sound level meter I bel uninfluenced by the ballistic characteristic of the indicatinginstrument, a requirement met by the RA-281 meter above mentioned. However, since only relative y measurements are necessary, this requirement is not essential provided the meter deilectionsl for sound pulses are uniformly related to the deflections for continuous sound waves. g

Curves I of Figs. 2 and 3 are computed as follows:

where E is the energy density at any point, of the sound wave which produces at that point thel excess pressure p max; l4 is the density of the medium; and c isthe velocity of sound (Grandall,7

ozSc Y, where P is the rate of uniformenergy emission from the source and S is the surface area of the room. 'Ihe rst term on the right of Equation lo (2) is dueto the directly received sound; the second term is due to sound reflected from the walls of the room after a steady state has been reached (Olson and Massa, Applied Acoustics, page 339, Philadelphia, 1934). Writing Equation (2) in the form l 16?(1-1!) EKLIf-T :l (2 it is clear that taking the ratio of the energy densities measured at two points p1 and p2, distant respectively r1 and ra from the sound source, one may compute the average absorption coemcient a. It can be shown that forthe case of a baille large enough to coniine the sound emission to a hemisphere, the direct sound energy is twice that given in the rst term on the right of Equation (2), so that in Equation (2') the second term on `the right becomes y aS for this condition, K becoming say K'.

The soundenergies 'indicated by sound level meters are usually read in terms of decibels above a stated reference level. The difference between the indications of such a meter c l B=1o10g (s) and 1f Ep1=REp2,we write Equation-(3) as B=1o1ogR (3') From Equation (2') we obtaini'or a point source of sound 1 1era-a) 111+ als T-+1'6fu-a' A f2 (1S from which follows i 1era-awr. (5) a s (R r.=-',2) icf (1l-Rw?? pz, respectively, is a logarithmic expression for the ratio of the energy densities at those points. I-f p1 is nearer the source `than pz, we have Epi . The total absorption, A, of the room is, of course,

l' 'I'he foregoing computationis valid for contin- In eachl of Figs. 2 and '3, .curves 2 show by l comparisonV with curve l, the enect of standing waves `for eachtype of measurement represented by curves 2 and 3. In! each figure sound levels' were measured at a plurality of points 'clustered about a mean position the distance of which from the vsource is an abscissa of the cu'rve. The average absorption coeflicient ofthe room, which had in this' investigation' a volume of* about 10,000

cubic feet, was determined for each frequency by the conventional reverberation ltime method.

The total absorption (as)` of the room was,w for 440 cycles 280 Sabines; for 6700 cycles 400, Sabines. In these observationapipe 5 was provided with baille 6.

The close agreement of curves I and 3, repeatedly observed in other measurements, suggests the methodof the present invention which may be stated thus.

1. The generation of'a short sound pulse of a desired nominal frequency and of convenient intensity; Y

zlMeasurements, either simultaneously by two similar measuring systems or successively by the same system, of the energy densities due to the pulse at two or morey known distances from the seconds atall nominal `frequencies to be investi gated, while distances r1 and n are appropriately taken 1 foot and 16 feet from the sound source, respectively. In. larger rooms the pulse dura tions may be increased. A rough ruleis as follows: Volumeof room in cubic feet divided by pulse duration in seconds=l3,000,000. Distances r1 and rn may be increased in proportion to the long dimension of the room, maintaining these at points pi and distances m the cenvenient' ratio or io or' 2o to 1.

It is,-of course, requisite that the more distant point be not close to reecting surfaces which are capable of producing virtual images of the sound source.

It is, of course, preferable that the average be taken of a plurality of observations clustered about each 'of the points at distances ri and rz, respectively, from the sound source.- It is also to o be borne in mind that Aa short sound pulse -can- I ampntud is half 'the maximum, it can be shown that this spread is approximately inversely proportional to the pulse duration at all frequencies. For -the' 3-millisecond pulse proposed above the frequency spread is 400 cycles. lAccordingly, the

- method of the present invention permits the oiti'serverto obtain the absorption coemcient averaged over a frequency intervalJ of 400 cycles and notthe Vcoeflicient pertaining strictly tothe cen-v trai frequency of the pulse. For allpractical purposes of architectural acoustics, the average coelcient over such a frequency interval is suiiicient. v 'Ihe present method and'arrangement besides eliminating the effect of standing waves of a room to one-tenth that needed when conventional methods are used.

To illustrate the adequacy of the method-of the t invention, the table below exhibits a comparison for three frequencies of the room absorption in sabines obtained bythe present method with that obtained by the usuakreverberation time method for the room to which relate the curves of Figs. 2 and 3, a room of low absorption.

t t Absorption try- Frequency cycles per second Revermm Pulse tion time method ioV , 3 tamination by standing sound waves, and that the method -is applicable to the acoustic survey v of enclosures whether reverberant or not, to the determination of the sound absorbing properties of acoustic materials, and to the calibration of microphones and loud-speakers, in each case with the advantage of improved accuracy and greater speed as compared with the methods of the prior art.

1. In determining the acoustic absorption of -an enclosed space of known surface area, the method of eliminating from said determination the eifect of standing sound waves in said space which comprises generating a short sound pulse at a selected point in said space, measuring the relative energy densities produced by said. pulse at a plurality of points in said space unequally distant from said selected point, measuring the distances of sa'i'd points from said selected pointl v and computingsaid absorption from a formula involving only said area. said distances and said relative densities.

y 2. Themethod of measuring the total acoustic absorption of an enclosure which comprises generating at a point in said enclosure a short sound pulse, measuring the acoustic energy density proyduced by said pulse ateach of two other points in Areduce the time required for the acoustic survey the table were obtained by averaging several observations at distances r1=1 foot, ra=16feet.

Similar measurements in a highly damped room showed noticeable disagreement between the pulse determinations andthose by the rever-` beration time method only at-the lowest tested frequency, 460 cycles per second in this case. It is known that the reverberation time method is least trustworthy under suchk conditions, being dependent upon the distribution of absorbing material in the room and upon the manner of obtaining and interpreting the decay curves. p

If it is desired to measure the sound absorption of an acoustic material, this obviously may be done by the sound pulse method, measuring the room abosrption before and after installation of the material to be tested or the measurement of -a panel of the test material in a highly reverberant room as is the usual practice when the reverberation time method is relied upon.'

Finally, from what has been said, it will be clear said enclosure, measuring the distance of each of said other points from said point, takingthe ratio of said measured energy densities and computing the total absorption of said enclosure from tion of said pulses is of the order of 3 miliiseconds.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the duration of said pulse is of the order of 3 milliseconds and the distances of said other points from said point are of the order of 1 foot for the first oi' saidother points and 20 feet for the second of said other points.

5. The method of measuring the total, acoustic absorption of an enclosure which comprises gen- -erating at a point in saidenclosure a hemispherlcal sound pulse, measuring at a secondand a third Point in said enclosure the energy density produced thereat by said pulse, measuring the distancesv of said second and of said third points from said point, and computing the total acoustic absorption of said enclosure from the equation density at said second point to the energy density at said third point, and r2l and r1 are respectively the distances of said third and said second points that the method of the invention permits rapidly making acoustic measurements exempt from confrom said point.

-6. The method of claim 5, wherein the duration of said pulse is of. the order of 3 milliseconds and the distance of said third point from said point is of the order of twenty times the distance of said second point from said point.

v NORMAN R. STRYKER. 

